Tension Between Descriptive Adequacy and Explanatory Adequacy:The Theoretical Drive for the Principles and Parameters Framework

Based on a summary of Chomsky's(1981)"Principles and Parameters in Syntactic Theory",this paper reviews the historical background and theoretical drive of the principles and parameters(PP) framework and discusses the its main though and content and analyses its significance its theoretical drive and its significance in the field,and points out the challenges and promises for this framework.It is shown that the tension between descriptive adequacy and explanatory adequacy is the theoretical drive for the PP framework.In the process of pursuing a higher goal-beyond the explanatory adequacy,what is expected is a revised and fledged PP framework.